Dental Services

Our resident dentist has a local commitment to our local community. It is important to him and to our whole practice to provide you the kind of quality care and treatment that you deserve. We offer many treatment options to give you optimal dental health. These options include:

Please feel free to click on the names of the above mentioned treatments to learn a little bit more about them. If you would like to learn how these treatments can help your individual needs, please feel free to give us a call. We are happy to show you how we can help you.

Air Abrasion
Almost always, the one thing that people are most anxious about at a dentist’s office is the drilling. We may use an advanced air-abrasion technique that uses microscopic particles to spray away and clean decayed areas. This helps prepare the tooth for the services that will restore your tooth to full functionality. Our air-abrasion services makes your experience free from the awkward and uncomfortable feelings that other dental practices might be famous for. We can provide you with a comfortable and pleasant dental experience.

Digital X-Rays
Radiography is an indispensable tool for us to better detect disease and is cautiously used by us to provide the greatest benefits to you.

Digital radiography, or computerized X-rays, is part of the high-tech services that we provide. Digital X-rays use less radiation than traditional film. This makes your X-Rays much safer for you..

There’s no waiting—as soon as the X-ray is taken, it appears immediately on the computer monitor. Due to the enhancements in the digital X-ray software program, we are better able to diagnose and treat conditions. It is easier for us to show you the dental issues.

We require necessary X-rays be taken to provide you with the most accurate diagnosis. We will be unable to perform treatment if you refuse necessary diagnostic procedures.

Bridges
If you have lost teeth due to accident, injury, or gum disease, we can create a permanent bridge to restore your smile. A bridge not only fills the gap, but also prevents the repositioning of remaining teeth. It can also correct a misaligned bite, improve chewing function and speech articulation. Bridges provide internal structure for the face to give you a more youthful appearance.

A bridge is a prosthetic tooth (or teeth) that attaches on one or both sides to teeth prepared with dental crowns. A fixed bridge is permanently joined onto the neighboring abutment teeth (crowned teeth) and consists of three basic units: the false tooth or teeth (called a pontic) and two abutment crowns. The style of bridge we suggest will depend upon the strength and health of the abutment teeth, as well as the location of the gap in relation to the rest of your dentition. If healthy adjacent abutment teeth are not available, a surgically implanted metal post, known as a dental implant, may offer a solid alternative. For a bridge that replaces many teeth, we may recommend a removable partial denture or implant-supported prosthesis. With proper care, a fixed bridge may last 8 to 10 years.

Crowns
When a tooth is fractured, has a large old filling, or is severely damaged by decay, your dentist may recommend the placement of a crown. Crowns strengthen and protect the remaining tooth structure and can improve the appearance of your smile.

Types of crowns include the full porcelain crown, the porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (precious & non-precious) and the full-metal crown.

Fitting a crown requires at least two visits to the dentist’s office. Initially, the dentist removes decay and shapes the tooth, makes a digital impression, and fits a temporary or transitional crown of plastic or metal. In a subsequent visit, the dentist removes the temporary crown, fits and adjusts the final crown, and cements the crown into place.

Implants
A dental implant is an ideal tooth restoration for people who are missing one or more teeth because of injury, periodontal disease, or any other reason. A dental implant is a metal post that a periodontist or oral surgeon surgically positions into the jaw. Once in place and the bone surrounding the implant has had time to heal, a replacement tooth is attached to the post. While implants are typically more expensive than other methods of tooth replacement, they provide superior benefits. Implants are stronger than natural teeth and generally last 10-20 years. They are also a more favorable approach than bridgework since they do not depend on neighboring teeth for support. To receive implants, you need to have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant. You must also be committed to excellent oral hygiene and regular dental visits, as these are critical to the long-term success of dental implants.

Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers can erase imperfections and give you a bold, amazing smile. Made from thin shells of fine porcelain, veneers will mask chips, cracks, and stains on your front teeth, as well as gaps and misalignments. Because porcelain veneers have a translucency that mimics that of your natural teeth, friends and family will notice your beautiful smile and not your dental work. Dr. Goldsmith will begin by preparing your teeth, taking impressions for the ceramists, and fitting you with temporaries so that you can begin to get accustomed to your new look. The data we gather is sent to a quality dental lab where a ceramist will handcraft your new veneers. Expect to return to our dental office for final placement once we receive the custom veneers from the lab.

Root Canals
Root canal dentistry treats the root canal system. When decay extends to the pulp or the nerve inside the tooth, the person almost always experiences spontaneous throbbing pain. The pain increases at night and is aggravated with cold & sweet foods. The dentist relieves the pain and pressure symptoms by treating the root canal system which houses the tooth nerve or pulp.

Treatment begins with profound anesthesia. The tooth nerve is accessed by drilling into the tooth, the infected nerve is removed, and canals are cleaned and filled with a bio-inert material.

Following a root canal treatment, the tooth is fragile due to injuries from decay and mechanical instrumentation and is prone to fracture. Over time, color changes are also observed. To protect the tooth from fracture your dentist will advise a crown. Sometimes, depending upon the amount of tooth structure that is lost, a post (a metal or a glass fiber pin) will need to be placed for added retention of the crown.

Dentures
A denture is a removable dental appliance created to fill the spaces left by missing teeth and surrounding tissue. Dentures, when used, are an important part of keeping the teeth and mouth fully functional when one or more teeth are missing.

There are two types of dentures – complete and partial. Complete dentures are for patients who are missing all of their teeth, while partial dentures replace only the missing teeth. When missing any teeth, partial dentures play an important role in preventing other teeth from shifting position in the mouth.

Typically, our patients receive dentures for the following reasons:

• Complete loss of all teeth in an arch.
• Partial loss of teeth in an arch.
• Enhancing smile and facial tissues.
• Improving chewing, digestion and speech.

The dentures are strong and durable. On occasion, dentures may need to be remade, repaired or readjusted due to regular wear and tear.

Sedation Dentistry
To help you avoid the fear and anxiety that some patients feel when they come to the dentist, we are happy to offer you the option of oral sedation. By using sedation dentistry, you can pass through your treatments peacefully.

We require that when you receive sedation for any of your procedures, that you have a family member or friend drive you to and from the office, to ensure your safety.

Tooth-Colored Fillings
If you are embarrassed about your smile because of decay or dark fillings in your teeth, you may be a good candidate for composite resins. Composite resins are a silicon dioxide-filled, tooth-colored plastic mixture, and can restore teeth to an attractive, healthy state. Composite resins represent several advantages over traditional silver, or amalgam fillings. Because composite resins are not made of metal, we can blend and mix shades to find the perfect color to match your natural teeth. This means only you and your dentist will know you have fillings. The tooth/composite bond actually supports the remaining tooth structure, deterring breakage and insulating against temperature changes. Medium and small composites can last seven to ten years – that is as long as the tried and true amalgams. Best of all, composite resins allow us to keep more of your natural tooth structure intact than amalgams. We believe in conservative dentistry – the more natural tooth structure you keep, the better your teeth will likely be in the future.

Teeth Whitening
Put your best smile forward with professional teeth whitening! Stains and discolorations leave teeth dull and lackluster. Teeth whitening restores brilliance to create sparkling, eye-catching smiles. To whiten gradually, we offer take-home bleaching kits. You will receive custom made trays, professional-strength teeth whitening gel, and instructions for home use. Applied as directed, take-home teeth whitening delivers fantastic results. You may see brighter teeth after one application, but continue using the system for 10 to 14 days as instructed to attain your whitest smile.

Tooth Extraction
There may be many reasons why a patient would request or require tooth extraction. When you are considering extraction, you should counsel with a dental professional like Dr. Goldsmith.

If an extraction is necessary, Dr. Goldsmith will perform the procedure with compassion, skill and a focus on your comfort. He may administer oral sedation to alleviate your anxiety.